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Psalms 105:21 — Word Study

Depth

WLCשָׂמ֣וֹ אָד֣וֹן לְבֵית֑וֹ וּ֝מֹשֵׁ֗ל בְּכָל־ קִנְיָנֽוֹ׃

BSAHe made himsûwm [lord] masterʼâdôwn of his householdbayith [place, dwelling] rulermâshal [to have power over, in charge] over allkôl [everything, his entire possession] his substanceqinyân [acquisition, wealth, property, things gained]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 105
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 21 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (kin.ya.No) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 105:21quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse describes how God appointed Joseph as master of his household and ruler over all his possessions.
Who is speakingThe psalmist recounts God's actions towards Joseph during his time in Egypt.
Where we areThis verse is part of a recounting of Israel's history, focusing on Joseph's rise to power.
The hard wordשָׂמ֣וֹ
Take awayJoseph was given authority over his master's household and all that belonged to him.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Psalms 105:21

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — Joseph's Rise to Powergenerated

20The king sent and released him; the ruler of peoples set him free.
21He made him master of his household, ruler over all his substance,
22to instruct his princes as he pleased and teach his elders wisdom.
23Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham.

Psalm 105:21 recounts how God elevated Joseph to a position of authority in Egypt, making him master of Potiphar's household and ruler over all his possessions. This reflects God's providence in Joseph's life, as seen in the broader narrative of Genesis, particularly in Genesis 41:40–44 and Genesis 45:8–26.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 41:40–44You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people are to obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”
2Genesis 45:8–26Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God, who has made me a father to Pharaoh—lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word שָׂמ֣וֹ, sa.Mogenerated

The verb שׂוּם (sum) means to put, place, or appoint. It emphasizes the act of establishing Joseph in a position of authority, highlighting God's direct involvement in his rise.

This verb is in the perfect tense, indicating a completed action, which underscores that Joseph's appointment was a definitive act by God, setting the stage for the unfolding of Israel's history in Egypt.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses made him for the Hebrew verb שָׂמ֣וֹ and master for אָד֣וֹן.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb שָׂמ֣וֹ, he appointed, governs the entire clause, with the phrases describing Joseph's roles as master and ruler following it.

The structure emphasizes Joseph's authority over his household and possessions, illustrating the significant power he held.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates שָׂמ֣וֹ as αὐτὸν, meaning 'him,' which maintains the focus on Joseph's appointment.

This choice simplifies the Hebrew verb's nuance but still conveys the essential meaning of Joseph being placed in a position of authority.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 105:21 tells us that God made Joseph master of his household and ruler over all his possessions. This reflects God's plan for Joseph as he rose to power in Egypt, as seen in the story of Joseph in Genesis.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that Joseph was made master of his household?

It means that Joseph was given authority and responsibility over Potiphar's home and affairs, reflecting God's favor upon him.

How does this verse connect to Joseph's story in Genesis?

This verse summarizes God's providential care for Joseph, as seen in Genesis, where he rises from slavery to a position of great power.

What is the significance of Joseph being a ruler over all his substance?

Being a ruler over all his substance indicates that Joseph had complete control over Potiphar's wealth and property, showcasing the trust placed in him.

How does this verse reflect God's sovereignty?

This verse illustrates God's sovereignty in orchestrating events in Joseph's life, demonstrating His ability to elevate individuals for His purposes.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I seen God's hand at work in my life, similar to Joseph's experience?
  2. How can I trust God to place me where He wants me, even in difficult circumstances?
  3. What does it mean for me to have authority in my own life or in my community?
  4. How can I reflect God's sovereignty in my decisions and actions?

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 105:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

He made him lord of his house,.... That is, Pharaoh made Joseph lord chamberlain of his household; after he had him to court, and he had interpreted his dreams to him to his great satisfaction, and

Read John Gill on Psalms 105 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread. -The circumstances leading to the bringing of the heirs of the promise into Egypt.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 105 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Heb. of all his possession, i.e. of his whole kingdom.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 105 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 105:21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:Ver. 21. He made him lord of his house] Thus, for his short braid of imprisonment, whereof he never dreamed, Joseph hath eighty years’ preferment, more than ever he dreamed of: God’ s retributions are very bountiful.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 105 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13–24. Jehovah’s providential guidance of the patriarchs in their migrations.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 105 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He made him lord of his house - Genesis 41:40. This implied that the administration of the affairs of the nation was virtually committed to him. And ruler of all his substance - Margin, as in Hebrew, “possession.” Of all he had.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 105 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

21. The description of Joseph’s affairs which follows is best interpreted by the history. Genesis 41:39-44. House… substance—Comprehending his subjects and realm.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 105 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

He made him master of his household, ruler over all his substance,

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all of his possessions,

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

He made him master of his household, ruler over all his substance,

NETBNew English Translation2006

He put him in charge of his palace, and made him manager of all his property,

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

He made him lord of his house, And ruler of all his substance;

RVARevised Version, American1894

He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:

NWBWebster's Bible1833

He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:

GNVGeneva Bible1599

He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

He made him lord of his house, and ruler over all his possessions:

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

He hath made him lord of his house, And ruler over all his possessions.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

He has made him lord of his house, || And ruler over all his possessions.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

He appointed him lord of his house, and ruler of all his possession:

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He put him in charge of his house as ruler of all his possessions

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

They forgot God, who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt,

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

He put Joseph in charge of the royal household, manager of everything he had,

BBEBible in Basic English1949

He made him lord of his house, and ruler over everything he had;

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clauseverbשָׂמ֣heobjectוֹappointed.himnoun phrase · second objectnoun phraseאָד֣וֹןmasterprepositional phraseלְofnoun phraseבֵית֑householdוֹhisוּ֝andnoun phraseclauseverbמֹשֵׁ֗לrulerprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּovernoun phraseכָלallnoun phraseקִנְיָנֽacquisitionוֹhis

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, with all six Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation, indicating a consistent understanding of Joseph's role.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

שָׂמ֣וֹ אָד֣וֹן לְבֵית֑וֹ וּ֝מֹשֵׁ֗ל בְּכָל־ קִנְיָנֽוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
שָׂמ֣וֹαὐτὸνאָד֣וֹןκύριονלְבֵית֑וֹαὐτοῦוּ֝מֹשֵׁ֗לἄρξονταבְּכָל־πάσηςקִנְיָנֽוֹ׃αὐτοῦ

6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Psalms 105:21שׂוּםhe appointehe appointed hiשׂוּםאָדוֹןmastermasterאָדוֹןבֵּיתof householof household hiבֵּיתמָשַׁלand rulerand rulerמָשַׁלכֹּלover everyover everyכֹּלקִנְיָןpossession possession hisקִנְיָןבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלקָנָהto buyto buyקָנָהשַׁמָּהhorror: dehorror: destroyשַׁמָּהשְׁמָמָהDesolateDesolateשְׁמָמָהבִּיpleasepleaseבִּיחֵןfavorfavorחֵןאוֹצָרtreasuretreasureאוֹצָרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהרָכַשׁto gatherto gatherרָכַשׁמִקְנֶהlivestocklivestockמִקְנֶה
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Psalms 105:21

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

he appointed him master of household his and ruler over every possession his
שָׂמ֣וֹsa.Mo he appointed him H7760 Verb qal perfect third person masculine singular · suffix
585× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to put or place something, and is used in many different ways in the Bible, such as to appoint or determine something. It is first used in Genesis to describe God's creation. In the KJV, it is translated as 'appoint' or 'set' in various contexts.
Amplified meaning
lord
Tyndale gloss
to set: make
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שׂוּם (sum) is a verb meaning to put, place, or set, with a wide range of applications including appointing, establishing, and making. It can also refer to laying something upon or directing it. There is a related noun שׂוּמָה (sumah), which may denote a token of unluckiness. The entries do not present any significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שׂוּם, שִׂים 582 vb. put, place, set

Qal

put, set, in a place

put something upon

put, lay, set

put, c. בֵּין

set, direct

set, ordain, in a place

set, establish a law, statute

set, found a nation

set, appoint (as ruler, official)

set, constitute, make

set, determine, fix, bounds

set, station, at a post

put in position, sacred bread, sword, staves, bars

set up altars

= plant, wheat

set, fix (countenance)

make a thing, or pers. (acc.), for, transform into

make, constitute

work, bring to pass

appoint, give

set, fix (countenance)

Hiph. I will make him for a sign

Hoph. there was set before him

base

שׂוּמָה perhaps n. f. token of unluckiness, scowl;—2 S 13:32

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7760a שׂוּם, שִׂים put, place, set .. . put, set, in a place

. put something upon

. put, lay, set

. put, c. בֵּין

. set, direct

. . set, ordain, in a place

. set, establish a law, statute

. set, found a nation

. set, appoint (as ruler, official)

. set, constitute, make

. set, determine, fix, bounds

. . set, station, at a post

. put in position, sacred bread, sword, staves, bars

. set up altars

. = plant, wheat

. set, fix (countenance)

. . make a thing, or pers. (acc.), for, transform into

. make, constitute

. work, bring to pass

. appoint, give

. set, fix (countenance)

. I will make him for a sign

. there was set before him

H7760b שׂוּמָה perhaps n. f. token of unluckiness, scowl

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7760 suwm soom

or siym {seem}; a primitive root; to put (used in a great

variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially,

and elliptically):--X any wise, appoint, bring, call (a

name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider,

convey, determine, + disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap

up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out),

mark, + name, X on, ordain, order, + paint, place, preserve,

purpose, put (on), + regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set

(on, up), shew, + stedfastly, take, X tell, + tread down,

((over-))turn, X wholly, work.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שׂוּם (sum) — to set: make.

: make/establish

1) to put, place, set, appoint, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on

1a2) to set, direct, direct toward

1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig)

1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix

1a4) to set, station, put, set in place, plant, fix

1a5) to make, make for, transform into, constitute, fashion, work, bring to pass, appoint, give

1b) (Hiphil) to set or make for a sign

1c) (Hophal) to be set

שׂוּמָה (su.mah) — fate.

token of unluckiness, scowl

שׂוּם (sum) — to set: put.

: put/give

1) to put, place, set, appoint, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on

1a2) to set, direct, direct toward

1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig)

1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms | Suff — Verb qal perfect third person masculine singular · suffix
HVqp3ms/Sp3ms
he appointed him master of household his and ruler over every possession his
אָד֣וֹן'a.Don master H113 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
333× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word ʼâdôwn refers to a lord or master, and can be used to describe human leaders or God. It emphasizes the person's power and control over others or things, and is often translated as lord or master.
Tyndale gloss
lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אָדוֹן (*'adown*) means 'lord' and is derived from a root meaning to rule. It covers a range of meanings, referring to both human and divine authority, including terms like master, king, and superintendent. Variations exist for divine references, such as אֲדֹנָי (*Adonai*), distinguishing God from human lords.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָדוֹן n.m. lord (אֲדֹנִי, אֲדֹנַי, אֲדֹנָי are variations of Mass. pointing to distinguish divine reference fr. human. Pl., with few exc. an intens. pl. of rank; word takes sf. as pl. in all other pers.; so doubtless here. Orig. reading prob. in all cases אֲדֹנַי; אֲדֹנִי now found in J 51 t.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H113 אָדוֹן lord

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

113 'adown aw-done'

or (shortened) adon {aw-done'}; from an unused root (meaning

to rule); sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine):--

lord, master, owner. Compare also names beginning with

"Adoni-".

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָדוֹן (a.don) — lord.

1) firm, strong, lord, master

1a) lord, master

1a1) reference to men

1a1a) superintendent of household, of affairs

1a1b) master

1a1c) king

1a2) reference to God

1a2a) the Lord God

1a2b) Lord of the whole earth

1b) lords, kings

1b1) reference to men

1b1a) proprietor of hill of Samaria

1b1b) master

1b1c) husband

1b1d) prophet

1b1e) governor

1b1f) prince

1b1g) king

1b2) reference to God

1b2a) Lord of lords (probably = "thy husband, Yahweh")

1c) my lord, my master

1c1) reference to men

1c1a) master

1c1b) husband

1c1c) prophet

1c1d) prince

1c1e) king

1c1f) father

1c1g) Moses

1c1h) priest

1c1i) theophanic angel

1c1j) captain

1c1k) general recognition of superiority

1c2) reference to God

1c2a) my Lord, my Lord and my God

1c2b) Adonai (parallel with Yahweh)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mas'-ter ('adhon, ba`al, rabbi; despotes, didaskalos, kurios, rhabbi): "Master," when the translation of 'adhon, "ruler," "lord" (Sir), often translated "lord," denotes generally the owner or master of a servant or slave (Ge 24:9, etc.; 39:2, etc.; Ex 21:4, etc.; De 23:15 bis; 2Sa 9:9,10 twice; Pr 30:10); elsewhere it is rather "lord" or "ruler" (often king, e.g. 1Sa 24:6,8; 26:16); in the plural 'adhonim, it is, as the rule, used only of God (but see Ge 19:2,18;

→ Jesus called Mt 8:19; 10:25; 23:8; 26:18,25,49; Mr 14:45; Lu 8:24; Joh 13:13,14

→ Jesus prohibited the appellation Mt 23:8

→ SCRIPTURES RELATING TO MASTERS OF SERVANTS Ex 21:20,21,26,27; Le 19:13; 25:43; De 5:14; 24:14,15; Job 31:13-15; Pr 22:16; 29:12,21; Jer 22:13;

he appointed him master of household his and ruler over every possession his
לְבֵית֑וֹle.vei.To of household his H1004 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
2,049× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for house refers to a dwelling place, including a family home, temple, or even the human body. It appears in various contexts, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the household of a family. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a place of worship or a family's living space.
Amplified meaning
place, dwelling
Tyndale gloss
place
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word בַּיִת (*bayith*) means 'house' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including dwelling, family, and place. It can refer to physical structures, such as homes and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like the body or household affairs. The word is built from the root related to 'between' and appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between

base

בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house

house

place

receptacle

of house as containing a family

household, family (592 t.)

house, including household affairs

lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards

מִבַּיִת

adv. on the inside

prep. within

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1004a בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between H1004b בַּ֫יִת house

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1004 bayith bah'-yith

probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest

variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court,

daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as

would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold),

inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet,

temple, web, + within(-out).

see HEBREW for 01129

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּית (bet) — place.

nm

place, origin, between

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — house: home.

: home/temple/building

nm

1) house

1a) house, dwelling habitation

1b) shelter or abode of animals

1c) human bodies (fig.)

1d) of Sheol

1e) of abode of light and darkness

1f) of land of Ephraim

2) place

3) receptacle

4) home, house as containing a family

5) household, family

5a) those belonging to the same household

5b) family of descendants, descendants as organized body

6) household affairs

7) inwards (metaph.)

8) (TWOT) temple

adv

9) on the inside

prep

10) within

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(ashbea).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with ash.be.a (אַשְׁבֵּעַ "Ashbea" H0791)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth (Haggan).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Combined with hag (גַּן "Haggan" H1588)

בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(togarmah).

nm

This name is used for a house, habitation

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
he appointed him master of household his and ruler over every possession his
וּ֝מֹשֵׁ֗לu.mo.Shel and ruler H4910 Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
81× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To rule means to have power over something or someone, like a king ruling his kingdom, as seen in 1 Samuel. It involves having control and making decisions, like a leader guiding their people. In the Bible, God rules over all things.
Amplified meaning
to have power over, in charge
Tyndale gloss
to rule
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָשַׁל (mashal) is a Hebrew verb meaning to rule or have dominion. It can refer to human authority, the dominion of heavenly bodies, or God's sovereignty. The word has a Qal form indicating direct rule and a Hiphil form that implies causing someone to rule or exercising dominion.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָשַׁל vb. rule, have dominion, reign

Qal

human subj., rule, have dominion over

of heavenly bodies

of God

Hiph. cause to rule; exercise dominion

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4910 מָשַׁל rule, have dominion, reign .. human subj., rule, have dominion over

. of heavenly bodies

. of God

. cause to rule; exercise dominion

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4910 mashal maw-shal'

a primitive root; to rule:--(have, make to have) dominion,

governor, X indeed, reign, (bear, cause to, have)

rule(-ing, -r), have power.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָשַׁל (ma.shal) — to rule.

1) to rule, have dominion, reign

1a) (Qal) to rule, have dominion

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to rule

1b2) to exercise dominion

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal — Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
HC/Vqrmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

rool'-er:

1. In the Old Testament:

(1) moshel, "ruler," "prince," "master" (tyrant), applied to Joseph in Egypt (Ge 45:8; compare Ps 105:21); to the Philistines (Jud 15:11); to David's descendants, the future kings of Israel (2Ch 7:18; compare Jer 33:26); to Pharaoh (Ps 105:20); to a wicked prince, a tyrant (Pr 28:15; compare Isa 14:5; 49:7); to theocratic king, the Messiah (Mic 5:2); it is often used in…

he appointed him master of household his and ruler over every possession his
בְּכָל־be.khol over every H3605 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Amplified meaning
everything, his entire possession
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
he appointed him master of household his and ruler over every possession his
קִנְיָנֽוֹ׃kin.ya.No possession his H7075 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
10× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to something acquired or purchased, including creatures, wealth, or property. It describes things gained through buying or obtaining, such as riches or goods.
Amplified meaning
acquisition, wealth, property, things gained
Tyndale gloss
acquisition
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קִנְיָן (qinyan) refers to an acquisition or possession, encompassing things that are obtained, such as property or wealth. It is derived from a root meaning 'to create' and can also refer to creatures in a broader sense. The entries consistently highlight its connection to ownership and material goods.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קִנְיָן n.[m.] thing got or acquired, acquisition

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7075 קִנְיָן thing got or acquired, acquisition

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7075 qinyan kin-yawn'

from 7069; creation, i.e. (concretely) creatures; also

acquisition, purchase, wealth:--getting, goods, X with money,

riches, substance.

see HEBREW for 07069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קִנְיָן (qin.yan) — acquisition.

1) thing acquired, acquisition, possession, purchased property, wealth

1a) thing acquired (by purchase)

1b) creatures (more general)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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